A statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe is carried to St. Mary’s Catholic Church from Hughes City Park by members of the church, part of ceremonies honoring her feast day. The procession took place Dec. 14, and was followed by a Mass.
Contributed photo

St. Mary’s Catholic Church held its annual celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12 and Dec. 14.

Parishioners got up and came to church as early as 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 12 to start the “Mañanitas,” a traditional Hispanic song, in the form of a serenade, sung on special occasions like birthdays. The community of faith rendered various Marian songs to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, patroness of the Americas, and remember the apparition of her in 1531 with the image still unchanged and exposed at the basilica in the capital of Mexico.

Mass was celebrated at 5:30 a.m. before some devotees went off to work, while the rest stayed to enjoy hot chocolate and pan dulce. The church smelled of fresh flowers laid on the Madonna’s statue.

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